Letter and document file



(No Model.)

B. E. BAKER.

- LETTER AND DOCUMENT FILE.

. No. 347,762. Patented Aug. 24, 1886.

Wime55E5:

UNITED STATES PATENT f EEIcE.

EDIVARD E. BAKER, OF MORGANTOWN, VEST VIRGINIA.

LETTER AND DOCUMENT FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 347,762, dated August 24, 1886,

Application filed December 16, 1885. Serial No. 1855,1436. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morgantown, in the county of Monongalia and State of \Vest Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Letter and Document Files, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of letter or document files known as indexed files, and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a means for pressing down and holding together the indexed sheets and mater contained in the skeleton receiver; second, to provide a means for holding and sustaining the indexed leaves within the skeleton receiver independently of each other, and, third, to afford facilities for removing the indexed matter and index bodily and substituting a new index therefor. I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my letter and document file with index and letters or documents removed. Fig. 2 is also a view in perspective with index and documents or letter and binding-clasp in position. Fig 3 is aview in perspective of the file with a portion of the index-leaves thrown back and the binding-clasp removed. Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of one index-leaf. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the index holder or hook.

Similar letters refer to similar parts th roughout the several Views.

The skeleton holder A of my letter or document file is constructed much in the usual way, with or without a cover, and so that it can be placed in a cabinet as a drawer, if desired.

To the inner face of the front piece or board is connected an.upwardly-curved plate, B, to be hereinafter more fully described.

To the stub or inner edge of each index-leaf is connected, by means of a clip, 0, or otherwise, a bent loop, D, and each of these indexleaves in their order, commencing with the first letter of the alphabet, is strung upon the curved arms F of the bent wire frame G, Fig. 5, so that the lowermost of the loops 1) will rest in the curves of the short arms F, while the rest of the loops D above the lowest will rest successively against the long arms of the wire frame G.

upon the index-leaves.

To the inner face of the front piece of the skeleton holder are also connected two bent and curved plates, H H, provided with rightangled lugs I, the ends of which are bent and perforated to receive the arms of the wire frame G, and when the indexed leaves are all strung upon the wire frame G the frame is placed in the receiver or' skeleton holder by pressing the angular arms G together and snapping them into the holes or perforations in the end of the arms I of the plates H H, in which position the index is suspended in the frame or holder with that part 0tthe wire frame which connects the two curved arms F resting in the curved plate B. By this means a flexible connection is had for the indexleaves of the file, and as the spaces between the index-leaves are filled the leaves will pass up along the arms of the wire frame G, and not bind at the point of connection with. the receiver or container at the rear or stub portion, and so that the matter contained between the index-leaves and the leaves will be adjusted vertically on the arms of the wire frame as the matter from time to time is added or placed between them. A temporary binder, J, composed of steel wires,bent as shown, holds the index-leaves and contained matter to gether in a compact manner. The inner ends of the wires enter the angle or bent plates H H, which form bearings or hinges upon which the temporary binder works.

To the front loop of the temporary binder is connected the bent wire clasp K, the lower end of which hooks upon a bent plate, K, attached to the bottom board of the holder, which keeps the temporary binder in position The clasp is made with two loops, L L. The loop L is bent downward flatwise, and by placing the thumb of the left hand upon it and pressing downward the clasp will fly from the bent plate K,

and by placing the thumb of the right hand in the loop L and bearing downward the same effect will be had, and thus the clasp can be unhooked by either the right or left hand, when the binder can be thrown backward and free access had to the index-leaves of the file, and the index and contained matter removed bodily by pressing the short arms G of the bent Wire frame together, which nnhooks them from the lugs I,

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire' to secure by Letters Patent, 1s.

1. In a letter or document file, the combination of the holder A, the bent wire frame G, having short curved arms F, and pivoted in suitable lugs upon the holder, a curvedplate, B, secured to the rear portion of the skeleton holder and adapted to receive the lower end of the bent wire frame, and the series of indeX-leaves, each of which is provided with a loop, D, by means of which said leaves are strung upon the frame G, all arranged and operating substantially as described.

2. In a letter or document file, the tempo :5 rary binder consisting of the angularly-bent wire frame having its hearings in the bent plates of the holder, and a clasp withthumbloops L L, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially in the manner as set forth 20 and specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

EDWARD E. BAKER.

W'itnesses:

O. \V. M. SMITH, CHAS. E. KELLY. 

